Fear Me, Love Me
by makoeyedsoldier
Summary: Six years after Sarah escaped the Labyrinth, she is now Toby's only family. But when Toby begins to show signs of the Fae, they are both transported back to the Underworld. Can Sarah hide her identity from the Goblin King, and protect Toby as he turns into the King's protoge? How can she hope to protect her brother from his magical power when she can barely protect her own heart?
1. Chapter 1

Sarah swore bitterly as she looked in on the cake in the oven. She knew she should have bought an ice cream cake or something. This burnt piece of tar wasn't going to be good enough for the dog, let alone Toby. She yanked the pan out of the oven, but moved too quickly and burned herself on the door. She yelped and the whole thing went flying out of her hands, and the twenty year old drama student watched as her burnt, charcoal cake fell to the floor.

She sighed as she looked up at the clock in her kitchen and saw that there wasn't any time to try again before her little brother came home from school. It was a good thing she bought a bunch of Little Debbies at the store the other day. She scooped the mess off the floor, went to the pantry and began to unwrap the little chocolate pastries and arrange them on a plate.

She couldn't help think of her stepmother as she pulled out seven candles and began to place them in little debbies, one for each pastry. Her stepmother had always made such beautiful cakes for Toby. They were always made with lovely fondant icing, and hand crafted frosting flowers for her little boy. The cakes she had made Sarah had always been a little less grand, but still very pretty. She smiled lightly at the pleasant memory, but it didn't last. Thinking of her parents always ended up making her sad.

It had been nearly three years since the accident. Sarah thanked the heavens every day that she had been 18 when it had happened, otherwise the state would have had to take Toby away. But fortunately, not only was she able to keep the little guy, but her father had parked away enough money for them to live on while she went to college.

Sarah still had to work. She wasn't sure how long the money would last, and she wasn't exactly on a secure career path as a banker or something. Still, her acting was proving to be promising. She consistently got lead roles in the school productions, and had even been in a national auto-insurance commercial recently. It wasn't a speaking role, but she got paid for it.

So, three years had gone by, and Sarah did her best to replace Toby's mother. It really wasn't too difficult. She had been extremely protective of him for years, and hers had been one of the first names he had uttered… well, a version of her name, at least. They loved each other dearly.

She heard the latch key turn and spun around just in time to yell "Happy Birthday!" as the boy opened the door. His big blue eyes widened with joy as he saw the bright candles on the table. His golden curls flopped on his forehead as he trotted to the table, dumping his backpack in the middle of the entryway. When he got to the table and saw the Little Debbies, he laughed and smiled up at his sister.

"I should have figured you wouldn't be able to make a cake." He said teasingly as he stuck his tongue out at her. "Hey! It's the thought that counts." She said as she pointed to the lumpy black pile of what was now cake pudding in the trash can. He nearly toppled over with childish laughter when he realized what it was. She smiled at him. It was impossible to get mad. He wasn't disappointed that there was no cake. He was thrilled to have anything. That was just the way Toby was.

She marveled that she hadn't like him when he was first born. She thought he was spoiled and arrogant, and she knew that anyone who didn't like him automatically assumed that about him, but it wasn't true. He stated facts. It wasn't out of malice, or undeserving pride. He was just honest, and true. He took joy out of everything, and that was what made him the light of her life. It had taken nearly losing him at to the Goblin King so many years ago for her to see that.

Her smile faded. There it was again, the memories. After her ordeal in the Labyrinth, Sarah's memory of her time there had faded into oblivion for years. It hadn't been until about a month ago that she had woken from a dream in the middle of the night. The dream had contained images of Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, and most importantly… Him, the Goblin King.

It was someone had turned on a slow, leaking faucet in her mind, but the water that was slowly filling up the sink were her memories. More and more, they were coming back. She was nearly able to piece together the entire ordeal now. Just a gap or two between meeting Sir Didymus in the Bog of Eternal Stench, and finally rescuing Toby, but she knew those memories would be coming soon.

"Sassy?" Toby questioned with a tilt of his head at her far off look. She smiled at the endearment. He was perfectly able to say her name these days, but what had started as his babyish inability to say her name correctly, had turned into a joke between them. He loved watching her act, and it gave her no greater pleasure in the world than to make him laugh.

"Sassy" was not only an endearment, but the name of a character she had created to make him laugh, an old, Cockney woman who was more than a little rough around the edges, and probably a bit too Monty Python-esque to ever be able to legally put her into a performance.

"Whot's this we have here?" She asked in her screeching old lady voice. "Ow, seems we haf a birfday on our 'ands. Well LA DEE DA!" He was already giggling, and she had hunched over to make the illusion as complete as possible. "How old is ye now little bugga?" She squawked. "I'm seven." He chuckled. "SEVEN!" She shrieked. "Why when I were seven, I'd already had me second child, and I were workin' in the cotton mills for 6 pence and hour." Sarah shook her hands and licked her lips like she was gumming false teeth. Toby was laughing brightly. "Stop laughing you little ingrate! I'll get me horse whip out, I will!"

She straightened and smiled at him as he dried his eyes. Sure, it was only impressing a seven year old, but it still made her feel good that she could impress someone. "Alright, Goober," She said in her normal tone. "I think it's time you blew out these candles." He nodded, and she helped him into the chair. He looked at the candles with such a lovely childlike smile, that she couldn't help but thank her lucky stars she had him.

"Ok, don't forget to make a wish!" He squished his eyes closed in thought, and then he nodded and opened his eyes. "One, Two, THREE!" She helped him blow as hard as he could, and all the candle went out. She started to clap and cheer, but one of the candles suddenly seemed to re-light.

She paused mid-clap. She heard Toby let out a groan and say "Aww, now my wish won't come true." She shook herself back, and said to him without missing a beat "That's only true for grown-ups. Kids get three tries, everyone knows that." He contemplated for a second, and then nodded his head. He leaned forward to where she was almost concerned he was going to burn himself on the still lit candle and he took a large breath and blew. He couldn't have missed it that time. The candle went out in a flash. She cheered again… and again, the candle re-lit.

They were both quiet this time. Sarah didn't say anything, but got very close to the candle. Had she accidentally bought trick candles? She took her own deep breath this time, and blew. The candle went out, and stayed out. They watched it for a few seconds to be sure, but it stayed out. She looked at him and smiled. "Well, that was weird!" He laughed. "So, what did you get me!" He asked eagerly.

"Pushy little thing, aren't you?" She said with a smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. He blinked sweetly, and gave her a huge I'm-Too-Cute-To-Be-Mad-At smile. It worked every time. She ruffled his golden blonde locks, and said "Well, as tomorrow is Saturday. I figured you might like…" She paused for dramatic effect. "Tell me!" He groaned excitedly. "… to go to the beach!"

He nearly bowled her over as he launched himself into her arms. "Sassy! !" He said so quickly it all sounded like one word. She just laughed and spun him around.

Neither of them saw the candle light itself again… and then put itself out.

Jareth sat on his thrown. Well, I say sat. He more lounged on his thrown with one leg thrown over an arm. Two of his subjects stood before him, strong Fae. The Fae that were strong of heart and magic looked as Jareth, human-like but more beautiful, with luminous eyes and pointed ears. Unfortunately, not all Fae were strong of heart. Those that weren't, turned into Goblins.

The two that stood before the King were strong Fae. A husband and wife amongst his nobles. "We thank you for your generosity in helping our family, my liege. As a token of our gratitude, we have brought you a human female of considerable beauty and of breeding age." The lord motioned to one of his goblin servants, a large burly creature, and he threw someone forth.

The girl was attractive, red hair and fine skin. She was shaking furiously. They had obviously not explained anything to her, he thought with a sigh. He waited for the inevitable, and like clockwork, it happened. When she caught sight of him, she froze. There was the pupil dilation. There was the stunted breath, and… yep, there was the racing heart beat.

He sigh inwardly. Human women were so predictable. This one would be more than willing to go to his bed. He placed his feet on the floor and stood to inspect her further. Was she even worth it? That was an unfair question. Was she hot enough for him to get it up? Yes, that was a better question. He knew she wasn't worth it. None of them were.

Human women fawned over him like gaggling morons, and Fae women were like fucking an ice block. Would this one at least remain quiet until he was done? He walked around her slowly, assessing. A mildly attractive face, but she wasn't his coloring. He like raven hair… green eyes that sparked. He shook his head and continued his assessment. The coloring could be overlooked. Ample bosom, and rounded hips. Pleasing. Yes, she'd do for tonight.

"Consider your debt repaid, Orthian." The King said to the Fae Lord. Jareth watched as they bowed and made their way out of the throne room. He didn't miss the look that Orthian's wife shot him as she walked out. Infinitely more subtle than what this human was displaying, but it spoke volumes. He knew the Lady would leave her husband if he so much as snapped his fingers… and that sickened him.

He turned his attention back to the human girl. "Out!" He shouted to the guards in the throne room. The goblins made several surprised and stupid noises before they ran out. The moment he heard the doors close, he began to saunter up to the girl. Her breathe was shallow. As he approached he began to smell the tell-tale pheromones that humans release when they are aroused.

He stopped closer than would have been normal conversation distance, but didn't move further. He remained distant, removed. He looked down on her and quirked his lip. "Would you like me to make love to you, girl?" That was all he needed to say. She closed the distance between the two of them, and kissed him.

This was pleasant, he supposed as she ran her hands up and down his chest. Being the king of an entire land had its perks, but he had his duties, rather difficult duties at times. He considered as she began to desperately remove his shirt.

No Fae was born a Fae. Both the Goblins and the strong Fae were born humans with a recessive trait. Once they reached a certain age, that gene became active, and the Fae's nature would start to appear. It was different timing for each individual, he reminisced as the human girl shed her own clothing and he stood in his trousers. His own had started nearly 500 years ago. He had been a teenager riding back from Bath to London. His horse had thrown him, but instead of breaking his neck, he had miraculously righted himself in mid-air.

Shortly after that, he remembered as she stood before him, breasts bare and licking her way down his chest, he had been brought to the underworld by the previous ruler. Jareth had been lucky. He had been old enough to make his own decisions and understand what was happening. Unfortunately it doesn't always work like that. Fathers and mothers with families in the overworld sometimes turn, and what's worse, children, babies, can turn into goblins in their mother's arms.

That was one of his more difficult duties, he thought as she began to remove his pants. She never stopped licking his torso as she did. He'd had to occasionally bring infants to the underworld that were suspected of being Fae. It was best that they were separated from their family's quickly, he thought. Better that then have them turn into hideous disfigured creatures in front of their eyes. Yes, it was the best decision, and he'd had to do it 5 times in the past 500 years… wait… 6 times.

The memories flooded him as the woman on her knees in front of him placed his cock in her mouth. He had tried to take the boy named Toby, but he had been unable to find him unguarded for a moment, and when the opportunity had come, the young girl, Sarah had called him… he hadn't expected that, and the one thing he had learned was to not ignore coincidences.

So, he had foolishly brought her to the underworld, thinking he could distract her long enough for her brother to turn into a goblin, and she could be mollified enough to leave him. Yet not only had her little brother proven himself to be strong Fae, but she herself had stunned him, so unafraid, so sharp and strong.

He sighed and closed his eyes at the memories as the wench continued to suck his now pulsing rod. The girl, Sarah, had been barely more than a child at the time, maybe 16, but her midnight hair and flashing eyes had stirred something in him. He thought of the spar in her, the fight, the fire, and he lost his head.

He telekinetically lifted the girl off her knees, turned her around and entered her from behind. He bit her shoulders and grabbed her breasts as he brought himself closer to his climax. The girl was crying out in pleasure, and as he felt her muscles spasm around his member, he groaned his own release.

Jareth let the girl collapse on the floor in front of him. He didn't speak as he put his clothing back on, and arranged himself. He sighed at himself. He hated how much he thought of her, that young girl with the beautiful eyes. She was such a child… and yet not a child. It didn't matter, he told himself, he would never see her again, anyway.

"Umm…" Came a soft voice behind him. Without turning around, he placed his hand in front of her face and felt the power escape him as he erased her memories. As he left the throne room, two goblins scurried in after him to take the girl back to the overworld. It was better this way, he told himself, better.


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah brushed away the soft blond curls that fell in Toby's eyes as he slept. He had fallen asleep on her shoulder as they had watched his favorite movie. She hoped he had a good birthday. Sarah never knew if he was just putting on a brave face for her or if he really was alright. He had been pretty young when their parents had died in the car accident. It made her sad to think that he wouldn't really remember them. Even now he said that he only had images of them, and she knew what a cruel mistress memory was.

Before the thoughts of her time in the Underworld could consume her any further, she scooped the little boy up in her arms and walked him back to his room. She'd have to make sure they had everything for tomorrow, but she couldn't do that tonight. It would have to wait until the morning. She was having a hard enough time as it was keeping her eyes open, and she would need to have all her energy tomorrow for chasing Toby around the beach, making sure he didn't accidentally kill himself.

Sarah kissed her brother's forehead softly after pulling the covers over him. She might not be his mother, but she sure as hell would do her damndest. He had meant everything to her since that fateful night, before he could remember. Her parents hadn't understood why she had suddenly gone from hating the boy to not being able to let him out of her sight, but she had known… and then forgotten.

She paused in the hallway that led back to her room. She had forgotten. How could that be possible? How could she have forgotten something so momentous, so enlightening… and yet so bizarre? Memories of her friends from the Labyrinth flooded her mind as she got dressed for bed. Ludo, the gentle giant, Sir Didymus, the obstinate little warrior, and Hoggle, the cantankerous dwarf all meant more to her then any of them could have realized… and she had forgotten them.

She sighed as she closed the door to her room behind her. There could have been any number of reasons she forgot, really. It could have been an after effect of the peach Jareth had given to Hoggle. It could have been her own mind trying to block out the absurd memory in order to make her have some semblance of sanity. But Sarah felt that she knew what the real cause of the memory loss was… or rather who.

Images of the Goblin King swept through her as she dressed for bed, the first time she had seen him in Toby's room all those years ago, his eyes mocking and uncaring. That was the image she had held the entire time she had been in the Labyrinth. How old had she been then? Fifteen? She hadn't seen him as anything other than an unfeeling monster, and he was… but then other images began to flood her mind.

The moment he had asked her how she liked his Labyrinth right before he had sent the cleaners after them came to mind. He had cornered her against the wall, and she had remembered how frightened it had made her. Wait… that wasn't right, she thought with her brows knit. Her pulse had quickened, so she had assumed he had frightened her, but she hadn't had the time or the womanly knowledge then to examine that emotion further. Had she been frightened of him?

If she had been frightened of him, then she certainly wouldn't have antagonized him so terribly. Then what was it? Suddenly another image swirled through her mind, she gasped. It was one she hadn't been able to see before… but it was faint. She pressed her palms to her eyes hoping that might somehow stop the image from leaking out of her mind like so much water. It was impossible. All she got was a memory of her own heart fluttering, racing against her chest, and movement, swirling movement all around her, and Jareth, a split image of Jareth watching her from across a swirling room of color and sound.

She lifted her head suddenly as awareness came to her. It was a good thing the two of them had met when they did, she thought as her cheeks began to heat. If he had met her just a few years later… maybe even just a year later, then she would have understood why her pulse had raced near him. She found him attractive. No, not attractive. That wasn't a strong enough word. He was breath taking! Gorgeous!

Oh, he must have seen her as such a child, such a simple fool-headed girl who didn't even understand her own feelings, her own sexuality. Sarah caught herself on that thought. He should have seen her as a child. That was a good thing. One of the few marks she could put in his favor. He had never tried to take her innocence in that fashion… just her brother. She didn't want the attentions of a man who would steal babies from their families! He was horrible!

But even as she reminded herself, her cheeks stayed on fire, and more images of him swept through her mind now that she understood what to look for, his arrogant stance, his snarky smile, his piercing, mismatched gaze. A man would be lucky to possess just one of those characteristics, but Jareth had them all… and likely he knew it.

That snapped her out of it quick enough. She sighed as she made her way under the covers. They had a big day ahead of them tomorrow, and she needed to get some sleep… Unfortunately, she knew sleep was going to be a luxury tonight after thoughts of a certain King had been filling her head for the past few minutes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"First, I'm gonna build a sand castle, NO, I'm going to swim, and THEN I'm gonna build a sand castle, and then I'm gonna swim AGAIN, and then I'm gonna use the boogey board, and then I'm gonna dig a HUUUUUUGE hole, and then…"

"You're not going to do any of that if you don't let me get this sunscreen on you!" Sarah said exasperatedly as she tried to wrangle the little boy in the parking lot that overlooked the beach.

It had turned out to be a beautiful day. It was still late spring, so there weren't too many people on the beach. This also meant that the beach shop near the north end of the beach and the bluff was closed, but she had packed a rolling cooler with some drinks and sandwiches for them to eat.

"Alright! You're done, just stick where I can see you, and I'm going to find a place to set up camp." The boy was a blond blur in less than a second as he dashed down the white sand toward the water. She sighed, and smiled. It might be exhausting for her, but he was having a good time.

Sarah scanned the beach for a good place to set up. They had always posted up pretty close to the old beach bar, which was currently closed, but it seemed like just as good a spot as any. It would probably be perfect, actually. It was towards the bluff, and was a little more secluded. She had just noticed a group of four older teenage boys on the other end of the beach.

They had whistled at her, and cat called earlier when she was getting the things out of the car. That was the last thing she needed, a potentially drunk group of trouble makers giving her and her brother hell. Yeah, best to steer clear. So, privately situated near the old beach bar, Sarah set up their towels, opened the cooler, and took out a soda while she watched her brother play in the surf.

He was such a good little kid, she thought with a smile as she watched him let the waves chase him on the shore. She can't remember why she ever wanted the Goblin King to take him in the first place. It was probably an attention thing, she reminisced. He had stolen all the attention her dad and stepmother had given to her before he was born, and so she had done the unthinkable and summoned that evil jackass.

She wondered at Jareth for a moment. Why did he steal children? Did he like being surrounded by goblins all the time? Didn't he have any of his own kind to hang out with? She snorted, they probably all thought he was too big of a conceited jerk to hang out with. Still, she wondered at his magic. He had given Sarah the opportunity to reclaim Toby. She supposed if he were truly evil, then he would have just taken him, and she would have never heard from either of them again.

That thought made her pause, as she watched Toby building a sand castle far too close to the water. He hadn't harmed either of them, really, and from what she saw of his power, he very easily could have… then why had he tried to take Toby? Had it really just been because she had asked?

"I have done everything you have asked of me…"

The faint memory of his voice hit her hard. She couldn't place when he had said that, and for some reason it felt important for her to remember that scenario. But the more she tried, the more it melted through her fingers.

"Sassy…" came a small voice bringing her back to the present. Toby had walked up to where she was lying on the towel, and he was holding his ear with a confused look.

"Hey Bud, what's up?"

"My ear feels funny." He said as he rubbed it.

"Oh, did you get water in there? Hop on one foot. That always gets it for me." She replied with a smile.

"No," he responded with his brows nit. "I mean, it _feels_ weird. Here, feel" He grabbed her hand and placed it on his ear. She smiled going along with whatever game he was playing, but when she brought her fingers up to the ridge of his ear, her smile faded. Something actually did feel weird about the ear. If she didn't know better, she would say that it had suddenly become, slightly, pointed. She was about to respond when suddenly she heard a slurred voice too close to them for comfort.

"Hey babe. You lookin' fer a party?"

The four drunk teenagers had found them. All else was forgotten, she needed to protect Toby and get them out of here. This was dangerous.

"No, thanks. I'm just here for my brother. We'd like to be left alone, if that's ok?"

"Awww, com'on sweetness! Ditch the rug rat and come show us some love." Said one of the others.

Oh great, she thought, they're in it together. One drunk ass can be put off by his friends… but she couldn't defend herself against all four. She began to stand up, and grabbed Toby's hand. Thankfully her keys were still in her pocket, she thought. Leave the stuff, and just get to the car and lock the doors… you just have to find a way to get to the car.

"We were just leaving, please let us past." She could feel Toby's worried gaze on her. He knew by her tone that something wasn't right.

"I don't think so, babe." Said the third guy. "I think you're going to stay right here with us."

The fourth guy grabbed for her free hand and she wrenched it away. Start walking, she thought, move!

"Don't touch me!" She said and she tried to move past them pulling Toby with her.

But she wasn't fast enough. The first guy grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her off the ground. The other three helped and were mumbling words of encouragement as she flailed and started to shout for help. Unfortunately, she had chosen her hiding place a little too well. She watched as the third guy grabbed Toby and threw him out of the way.

"Sassy!" He cried out to her.

"Run, Toby! Go find help!" She screamed at him. He stood frozen in horror for a moment. She pleaded in her head for him to go. Oh God, don't let him see this. Don't watch, Toby! Run! Don't let this happen! She felt the first guy throw her on her back in the sand. She kicked, and managed to land a perfect nut shot. But when she would put one off, another would be there.

Now that she was on her back, the second guy was able to lay on top of her, pinning her with his weight. She had been screaming the whole time, and she felt him cover her mouth with one hand, and begin to fumble with her pants with the other. She felt tears begin to swim down her face. Run, Toby! Please…

Then suddenly, hers was not the only voice screaming. From somewhere behind the attackers, she heard a high pitched yell, and then the guy on top of her was flung off. As if someone had attached a catapult to his leg and slung him off her. All four of the remaining onlookers watched in shock as the would-be rapist landed in the water maybe a hundred yards off shore.

All of their eyes were drawn to the boy standing a few feet from them. He was shaking in what looked like a mix of fear and anger, he was sniffing a little as he stood, but his jaw was clenched. Sarah was about to tell Toby to run when she noticed it. His ears were pointed.

"I said," he shouted between snivels "get away from my SISTER!"

All three men flew about 30 yards back from her. She felt the air sizzle, and a faint metallic smell reached her nostrils. She was stunned for a minute, and so was Toby. They simply stared at each other in disbelief. Her little brother was changing right in front of her eyes. There was no other way to describe it.

Not only had his ears grown to what can only be described as an elfish length, but she could swear the color of one his eyes was changing. They were both startled out of their reverie when they heard angry shouts begin to sound behind them. Sarah turned and saw that the three men may have been blown back by whatever Toby had done, but they weren't knocked out… and they were pissed.

She turned back around and saw that her brother was once again the scared little seven year old. He didn't have to say it, he had no clue how he had pushed them off earlier, and there was no guarantee he could do it again. As quick as she could, she stood and grabbed Toby's hand, and they were running. Sarah could hear the men coming after them, but she didn't turn around to see how close they were. Why had she set up so far away from the car? It wouldn't have mattered anyway. They were between her and the car now. She was left with one option, and that was the bluff.

It felt like a bad dream, the kind where the harder you run, the slower you go. The sand was torturously difficult to move through, and she could only hope it was hindering them just as much. Her lungs burned with every breath, and her thighs felt like they were pumping pure battery acid. She knew he little brother couldn't keep up much longer and she was basically dragging him as it was. Still, she had to move. She had to run. She had to keep forcing her infernal lungs to suck in the fire that the air around her had turned into.

She saw it then, as the bluff came into clearer view. A cave! Oh god, she hoped it was deep. Maybe she could lose them in the dark. She thought in a panic. What other choices did she have? It became her goal, her motivation. For some strange reason, she knew if she could just get her and her brother safely into the cave, then they would be free. It was something to focus on, anything other than the molten acid kissing her lungs with every breath, the dangerous stagger of the little boy she was now dragging.

They were so close now. She could feel the cooling shadow of the bluff as it blocked out the sun, but she could also hear the raged shouts behind her, closer now, dangerously close. "Nearly… there…" she told herself and her staggering brother as they reached the mouth of the cave.

But as she passed the threshold, she felt her brother finally collapse. She saw him lying on his back, eyes closed, breath ragged, and she had no other choice. The men hadn't rounded the cave yet, but she could hear them coming. The cave itself was mercifully deep and dark. She knew that she just had to get a little farther in and hide behind on the numerous boulders that dotted the sand floor and she could wait out the drunken rage of the teenagers while taking care of her brother.

With her last ounces of strength, she pulled the limp child up into her arms and she continued on into the cave.

The world got blessedly more quiet the farther she went into the cave. She didn't know if the attackers were just moving more stealthily, or if they had realized that they would lose them once in these caverns. She didn't wait to find out. She kept moving even though she could no longer feel her legs, and she feared she might drop the gasping boy. Still she move on until should could hear nothing but the sound of her own strangled breath and her brothers slowing pant.

Sarah had to stop. Although she was still afraid that the attackers might have followed, she didn't hear any approaching steps, and the silence was deafening. The light from the beach had long since disappeared and they were surrounded in near darkness, but she could make out a boulder a few feet away. It was a low boulder that was only a foot or two off the sandy cavern floor, and it was mercifully flat on top. She carefully laid the boy down on the rock taking pains not to let him hit his head on the hard surface, and sat down beside him.

As she rested her exhausted legs, she took note of his breathing. It was ragged, and that frightened her. She belatedly thought of her cell phone and dialing for help, but she had left it in her beach bag by their set up site. She sighed. What would she tell the officers was wrong with Toby either way? His ears are growing? He has super powers? She shook her head. It didn't matter that he was changing a little bit. He could have a heat stroke with all the running they did. Them must have ran a good mile and a half on sand in the middle of a hot day.

She put her head on his forehead to see if he was running a fever. She breathed a sigh of relief at finding him blessedly cool. Still, with her eyebrows knit together, she ran he hand along the side of his face until she came upon his ears. Sure enough, they felt obscenely long… elfish. She didn't know what to make of it. Sarah had never heard of anything like this ever happening… although she had seen it once before… on one other person.

She snapped her hand back as if she had been shocked, and then shut her eyes. He was still her Toby, and she would love him and protect him no matter what. They would figure out what was happening together, and she would be there for him every step of the way.

With new resolve, she stood and began to examine her surroundings. Her eyes were becoming very accustomed to the dark, and the cave was rather fascinating, really. "I wish you'd wake up, Bud." She said over her shoulder. The sound of her voice echoed off the walls making it nearly boom in the silence. "You'd think this place was amazing. There's stalactites and stalagmites, and pools of water everywhere." She turned to take another look at her passed out brother on the stone table. "I bet there's pirate treasure buried in here somewhere. It's the perfect place for it." She smiled to herself thinking of how much he loved pirates. Playing pirate lord was one of their favorite things. "Still, it is pretty dark here… I guess you wouldn't like that mu… hey…"

Something had caught her eye on the opposite wall of the cave. Whatever was there was glistening sweetly with what looked like a faint glow. It must have been some kind of mineral, she thought as she took a few steps toward it, reflecting what little light was left in the cavern. But as she approached, it suddenly moved. What was it? Some sort of incandescent bug? She turned to look back a Toby, and was amazed to see another little glow on the wall right by the table.

She quickly moved over to inspect it. She got her face very close to whatever it was, but she couldn't make out anything other than a pinprick of light. No wings. No legs. No antennae. "Toby," She said softly as she sat on the table next to her brother examining the light, "you should see this. It's amazing." As she turned her eyes away from the faint green glow to look at her brother's still sleeping complexion, her eyes were again drawn to the opposite wall.

There were more. Many more. What had been one little pinprick of light had suddenly turned into ten, all faintly glowing on the other end of the cavern. Her eyes were drawn up now as she saw more pinpricks begin to appear on the roof of the cave, and near the one she had just been inspecting. Her attention was drawn back to said pinprick, and she built up her courage to touch it. When he finger was but a hair's breadth from little glow, it jumped of the wall and began to float.

Suddenly, it wasn't the only one. The glowing orbs were jumping off the walls and slowing floating around the two trespassers in a steady clockwise motion. Sarah suddenly wondered if she should have been afraid of these things. They were multiplying quite quickly, but something told her that they meant no harm. They danced in the air as more joined them. There had to be hundreds now, surrounding the two foreigners in a soft green glow. She watched, and if two pinpricks touched each other, they would make a faint noise of near laughter and then fly apart, but always in a steady clockwise circle.

Sarah grasped her brother's hand as she watched them make their circle tighter around the two of them. It was a beautiful sight, really. Dancing laughing circles of colored light that filled the wet a dreary cavern with a mystifying glow that reflected off the walls and off of themselves. She watched in awe as one broke rank and floated lazily over toward her. First floating past the face of her unconscious brother, then slowly, up to her own face. There was nothing there but a pinprick of light. No bug, no fairy, nothing. She brought her unoccupied hand up slowly to touch the thing drifting less than an inch from her nose and whispered "What are you?"

As if she had given a command, the thing let out a soft high pitched sound that nearly resembled a whistle, and joined its brothers in a flash. Suddenly the colors where spinning, moving in a much more determined and fast pace. She watched them begin to move fast and faster until she could see nothing but several green rings surrounding herself and her brother. Something was happening, and out of instinct, she grabbed her brother's limp form and pulled him close to her.

And then they weren't sitting on anything. It was as if a trap door had been flung open beneath them, and she screamed as they fell… and fell… and fell… into the metallic tasting nothingness.


	3. Chapter 3

Falling… Falling… the world is falling down. Somewhere music played softly. A strong hand held her waist gently as they moved through a crowded room. Everything's spinning…

"Sassy…" softly spoken. Barely a breath against the back of her neck as she twirled. Billows of fabric wrapped her legs in strange patterns as she moved, and eyes… enchanting eyes captivated her every breath.

"Sassy." It came again, louder and more concrete this time. Annoyance. It should really let her be. How could she think of anything, be anywhere but in the arms of the one who owned such eyes? Eyes that spread a fire wherever they touched. Such a thing should never be interrupted. It was a work of art, a beautiful masterpiece taking shape, and she wanted, no needed to be a part of it.

"Please… I need you."

The recognition hit her then.

"Toby?" She said quietly. And just like that, the glittering world of swirling fabric and soft music blurred, and details of the dream flew away like sand in the wind. One thing held fast, though. The last thing to fade from her memory like footprints on a beach… those eyes, and beneath them, a gentle smile.

Her eyes fluttered open, and after a minute of adjusting they fell on the face of her brother. That was enough to sober her rather entirely. His ears were now slightly visible above the soft wavy blond hair that fell around his head and into his eyes, but the eyes were different too, she saw. His right eye was still the same blue she had always known, but his left eye was undeniably a forest green. The rest of him looked the same, even though he was hovering over her with a look of concern.

Sarah realized that she was lying on her back, and slowly began to sit up, an act that sent an unwelcome wave through her senses, but nothing that was horribly alarming. She closed her eyes to ease the spell of unease and took a few deep breaths through her nose.

The smell that hit her was more alarming than the dizziness or Toby's odd transformation by far. The air was heady, full in a way that can't quite be described to someone who hasn't smelt it before. The air itself was a tangible thing, containing its own story and notes, much like a song in its own right, and under every current that played in her mind there was a constant, but not unpleasant metallic scent. Not the harsh, acid-like scent that pervades our world along with metal, but something much gentler… It was a scent that Sarah had smelt once before… seven years ago.

Her eyes snapped open again. Toby was sitting dutifully at her side, but it was the rest of her surroundings that interested her. She found herself sitting in a patch of grass in the middle of what can only be described as a dark rain forest. Sounds filled the air along with scents that reminded her of her past, and throughout the air, little floating lights danced and wizzed about in their own marry fashion.

As the sites sounds and smells filled her every sense, the knowledge of where she and her brother landed hit her. She knew where she was like she knew her own heartbeat. She was back in the underworld.

"Sassy?" Came Toby's worried voice. She realized she must have looked very worried. She turned and looked at the boy and made the conscious effort to smooth her features.

"Hey! You're awake! How are you? Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked checking the boy over quickly. He didn't seem to be any worse for the wear.

"I'm fine, Sassy. I was worried about you. You were out for a little while. Are you ok?" He responded with a concerned hand on her shoulder.

She took a quick stock of her own body, and came up with good results. At hearing the news, Toby's face seemed to ease a little and he looked around a little shaken.

"Where… Where are we?" His voice came in a small quiver.

"We'll be ok, Toby. I actually know where we are. I've been here before, and so have you actually." At his confused look she just shook her head softly. "You were very young. It's really difficult to explain, but let's just say that we should probably find a way out of here… before… we meet any old friends." His eyes got really big at that, and she hurriedly calmed him. "No, no! It's nothing horrible… I don't think… We'll be alright. You just need to stick close to me and…"

But she trailed off. There had been a shift in the air. She couldn't explain it. She hadn't heard anything, but she knew inexplicably that something had moved… shifted the full air that surrounded them.

"Sassy?"

"Shh!" She said and stood up quickly. She held up her hand to him for silence as she looked around the dark clearing. The lush greenery of the rain-forest like woods obscured nearly everything from her view. It could only be described as a beautiful night, the moon was out, and she could see stars over head, but light could not pierce the dense thick of the foliage. She cursed the darkness of the twilit glade, and wished for a lamp or anything that could illuminate the ominous paths that lay in shadow around her.

She could feel eyes on her, and she couldn't do anything but twist about like a rat caught in a trap, trying to catch a glimpse at whatever it was.

And then she heard the deep rumble.

"Well now," came the rich baritone purr. "Isn't this… delicious."

Her attention was immediately drawn to one of the trees with a thick low hanging branch, and what she saw there made her blood run as cold as the arctic sea.

"Sassy…" Came the barely audible hushed whisper of her brother. He had obviously caught sight of the beast, as he slowly made to grip her hand.

"Yes, Toby?" All she could do was reply softly while holding the trembling hand of her brother, and keeping her eyes determinedly fixed on the monstrous creature in the trees.

"There's… a cat… in the trees." He said in the same horrified whisper.

"Yes, Toby."

"A BIG cat… in the trees." He got out.

"Yes…" She replied softly.

"… and it just spoke."

"I can see that, Toby." She said as lightly as she could, still rooted in her fear to the place where she stood. The big animal blended in perfectly with the dark surroundings. He was laying on the branch lazily with his enormous paws folded in front of him as he watched them curiously with green eyes that seemed to glow in the gloom. His tail belied his easy pose, though. It twitched hungrily as it hung rebelliously below the branch that held its owner.

"I think it's a black panther." Toby breathed.

"Jaguar, if you please." He retorted in an easy rumble. Sarah had watched in amazement as his furred mouth formed the words around the sharp teeth he possessed in a way that should have been impossible. Jaguars couldn't talk… but then again, she was back in the Underworld.

"Uh…" Toby sounded. It hadn't been a true response, she could tell, more of an ejaculation in response to the fear and confusion this animal had instilled in the poor boy, but the animal ran with it as if it was a response anyway.

"Panther is a rather generalized term." He tilted his head in easy cordiality as he spoke, but his tail still twitched maddeningly beneath him. "Leopards can be black, as well. There are even some who claim that there are such things as black mountain lions, but I am, in fact, a jaguar."

"Oh…" Toby replied shakily. "I… I see."

"Yes, and you," came the rich vibrations "are a bit more difficult to place." The great jungle cat stretched languidly, yawning while simultaneously exposing its enormous jaws. Sarah suspected this was not done by accident. She had to keep the creature talking. If he was using his mouth for talking, then he wasn't eating them…

"We are?" She asked in the most confident voice she could muster… although it sounded to her like her voice box had been replaced with a dog's squeaky toy.

"Hmmm, yes." He purred in a voice that could be felt through the ground. "At first glance, I would have sworn you were two humans," His eyes watched them with such glowing intensity, that she swore they must have been illuminated somehow. They were such an otherworldly green. "But on second… whiff," at this he took in a long, drawn inhale through his nose and closed his eyes dreamily, "the boy smells almost Fae… but that can't be right?"

He was pulling himself up now, still watching them, tail still flicking greedily. "Fae?" Sarah asked quickly. "What do you mean, Fae?" She watched the strong muscles flex and then explode as he plunged gracefully out of the tree… and unfortunately out of sight. She felt her brother shaking in her hand next to her, but she stayed her eyes on the spot underneath the tree where the animal would surely emerge from at any moment… but he didn't.

"I… I'm not sure what you mean by 'Fae'?" She asked. Oh god, she thought, talk to me. Show me where you are.

"One of the elfish folk that live in these parts." Sarah gasped at the unexpected drawl coming from quite the opposite direction of where she had been looking. How had he gotten there? "My brother? How can that be? We're related and I'm… well…"

"Not Fae, yes." He had been padding toward them in the clearing as he spoke, but had apparently decided his present location, some 6 feet from them, was close enough and sat on his haunches… and ran a tongue over his upper lips.

"Humans, Fae, Witches, Elves, they're all subspecies of the Homo Sapiens." He seemed to grow slightly bored as he continued his conversation, as his attentions were drawn mercifully to a near standing tree.

Witches and Elves? Sarah thought bewildered. These exist? Then again, she supposed that if a place like the Underworld existed, then why not Fae, Elves and Witches? "But, what about the Goblins? Those are here in the Underworld too."

"Well, yes, of course," came the great cat as his glowing eyes landed on her again. "Goblins are lesser Fae, aren't they?" He asked as if she were an idiot. "Goblins are lesser Fae, and Orcs are lesser Elves. Humans and Witches were spared the worry of turning into a lesser creature… Although, I suppose now that you monkeys all seem to be interbreeding, there may be some worry about children of humans turning…" With this, he eyed Toby boldly "… Strange."

Sarah stood in shock as she looked at her brother. He looked back up at her with wide eyes of his own. "But," Sarah began again as she turned back to the creature. "Toby's mother was human, and I'm not a Fae, so it couldn't have been our father…" "Oh don't be stupid, it's rather frustrating having to deal with stupid people." The animal responded with a great sigh.

"It was likely recessive traits in both of the boy's parents. As I said, with all the interbreeding that you monkeys do, there is every likelihood that his parents had recessive traits that didn't present in either of them, but when combined, made what you see." The cat nodded towards Toby.

"In cases such as these, the Underworld traits tend not to manifest themselves until much later in life. It is very unique to see one so young manifesting his powers." He cocked his head as he studied the boy. "I suspect he is going to be very powerful indeed." Sarah looked down at her brother in wonder.

"So," she started as a thought occurred to her, "is the Goblin King, Jareth, a Fae?" The black creature's tail finally stopped swishing at this. Its eyes narrowed as he watched her, and Sarah felt her heart nearly jump out of her chest for fear. Years later, Sarah would admit that she had been in more dangerous situations, but there is little that is more frightening the having an upset jaguar eye you in the night.

"You know the Goblin King, do you?" He had gotten to his feet and had begun to prowl around them with the classic regal grace attributed to his species. Sarah didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to exactly say yes, in case the creature was somehow friends with the King, and word got round to him… but then again, she couldn't be caught in the lie. By his demeanor, it seemed that the name "Jareth" had been what triggered his suspicion. She supposed it made sense that not many were on a first name bases with the Goblin King… So, why was she?

She brought herself back from those thoughts quickly. "Well… yes, we have met. It was several years ago, though. I doubt he remembers." In her reverie, she had allowed the beast to stalk behind her, and out of her gaze. She had turned as she spoke to find him again, but her stomach dropped as she turned to where the creature was supposed to be. He had disappeared.

She felt her brother's hand clutch hers more tightly, and she spun around quickly trying to find the upset animal. Oh God, she'd made a mistake. The beast must hate Jareth. He must think we're friends, and he must be wanting to kill me now. Oh God, where is he?! Where is he!?

She felt a pull in her stomach, something that drew her eyes to the tree the great cat had been eyeing earlier. On one of the low hanging limbs, a dark mist began to swirl. She had almost turned away again ignoring the premonition, when she saw her target walk out of the mist onto the limb. Her jaw dropped. Her mind wanted to believe that the mist had just been blocking his entrance, but something told her otherwise.

The mist disappeared as his long tail exited the fog, and where the huge animal had come from, only very solid trunk remained. "Well, that's most unfortunate." The animal's lazy candor had returned, and it stretched on the tree extending its impossibly long claws to their fullest extent. "With the boy being Fae, I assumed he was off limits, but you knowing Jareth and all, I suppose you're off limits, as well."

Sarah felt like a weight had just been lifted off her chest. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry, but she kept her composure, and simply said, "Very sorry to disappoint."

"Hmm, yes." He said without looking at the pair, his interest obviously gone. "I suppose you'll be wanting to be seeing Jareth then?" He asked without even bothering to look up.

"NO!" As quickly as Sarah's heart had risen, it had fallen twice as hard into a dark abyss that she couldn't quite hide from the big cat… or her brother for that matter. She saw her brother's head snap away from the location of the big animal for the first time since he had begun talking, and look at her with a mix of concern and fear. The animal's expression was even worse.

She had surprised it. That expression had lingered for a moment, but then a slow Cheshire grin crawled onto his face. Sarah threw the gears into reverse so quickly it hurt. "What… What I meant was, I'm sure he's busy. He wouldn't want to see us." She tried to laugh nonchalantly. But even in her own ears, it sounded forced and strained.

The cat began to toy with her, and she could feel it. "Oh, no," he said his pearly fangs still glinting in the low light as he grinned. "Jareth can always make time for old friends." His green eyes pierced as he spoke. Sarah finally felt what it was like to be a mouse in between the paws of a cat. "Really… he… he probably doesn't even remember…"

"Oh posh," He said, his grin spreading even farther. "Even if he doesn't, I think he would love to meet a delicious looking girl, such as yourself." Sarah mumbled something, but the cat had found something even more entertaining than the prospect of eating the two of them. "Yes, I've decided. Don't you two tasty morsels run off anywhere. I think I'll go and find Jareth."

"No, NO!" Sarah shouted, but it was too late. The fog had returned, and with a last glint of white teeth, the great cat disappeared into the fog, and Sarah knew exactly where he had gone. She stood in stunned silence for a few moments, and then the fear struck.

"Toby… we have to run." She said softly. Toby just stood for a few moments as the words sunk in, then. "Sassy… who?" "There's no time, Toby! We have to RUN!" And like the fires of hell were chasing them, she grabbed the boy's hand before he could protest, and ran. She didn't know where they were going. She could barely see three feet in front of her for the foliage and the dark, but she knew she couldn't be in that clearing.

Oh god, oh god, oh god, Jareth. Jareth. JARETH. Would he hurt Toby if he found them? No, she didn't think so. Toby was one of him, now. The boy had a fighting chance, but her? Oh, she would be shown no mercy. She had embarrassed him, bested him. They had played such a dangerous game that she knew they both must hold some emotional baggage from it.

Then she heard it, a voice ahead of them that she hadn't heard in 7 years, but would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Well, Pan. You brought me here. Where are they?" Came the easy drawl of the Goblin King. Her body froze. Her lungs felt small. She felt a cold electricity wash through her stomach. Fear, she told herself, it was fear. It had to be fear. But even as she tried to convince herself, another warm sensation spread over her mind like a velvet curtain.

"Oh, they must have run. They're close by. This clearing is in a time loop. They think they're running away, but they always end up running back. I love hunting here. It makes everything so much easier." Came the voice of the great cat.

Oh God, we're so screwed. She thought.

"Well, don't stand there. Put that nose to some use and find them. I don't have all day." Came Jareth's bored retort.

Sarah dropped to her knees beside her brother. Her heart was thundering in her chest. She was trapped. She couldn't run, and they were about to find her. She was about to be face to face with the Goblin King. She was about to have another opportunity to look into those mesmerizing mismatched eyes, hear that baritone say her name as he once did, watch the play of a smile on his full lips.

"Toby, oh god, this man cannot know I'm here. He won't hurt you, but he can't know I'm here!" Toby looked around frantically. "What, what do I do, Sassy?" Sarah was panicking. She could hear the two coming closer. "Oh god, Toby. I don't know. I don't know. They can't see me… He CAN'T see me!"

She felt a pull in her stomach. Intense. Surreal, and suddenly her head was spinning, and she could taste that familiar metallic taste. When her head stopped spinning, Toby was looking at her with wide eyes. "Sas… Sassy?" But before she could respond, someone else did.

"Sassy? So, is that your name, old crone?"

Sarah turned around, and came nearly face to face with all the great height of the Goblin King. Her breath caught. He was even more beautiful than she remembered. His eyes were brought together in a scowl, a look she remembered well, but he still held all the attraction that she was able to see in her recent memories. But the real thing was so much more potent than a memory. It held a flavor that was more intoxicating and more appetizing than wine. She felt her eyes droop low for a moment.

"Well, old woman? Who are you?" He asked again.

This brought her up short. Old woman? She looked down at her hands, and saw the hands of a wrinkled old woman. She would have brought the hands up to her face if she was alone, but she just went with it. He obviously didn't recognize her, and that was all she had hoped for. She needed to remember to thank Toby when they were alone.

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